U2: Under a Blood Red Sky

U2 are my all time favourite band . I absolutely loved the band as a teenager in the early 1980s . I`ve gone off them slightly as their musical direction changed in the mid 80s and beyond . This is by no means a criticism of their musical progression , they`re a band who pride themselves on progression and never get into a musical rut . In the early 80s they were about the only major act who wore their guitar sound on their sleeve . In the 1990s when the musical world was polarised between American grunge and Britpop Bono and the boys were banging on synths . Not quite dance music , not quite guitar rock but something idiosyncratic and unique . But the fact remains in creative terms I rate their early stuff as their best.

I bought UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY as soon as it was released on video in Britain in the Summer of 1984 , but never got round to sticking it in the VCR on the day of purchase due to a power cut . Anyway the stuck it in my video the next day and UABRS starts with cut shot of Denver where the concert almost never took place . A massive torrential downpour spoils the occasion , roadies with brushes sweep excess water from the stage and the audience look like they`ve just been swimming with dolphins

" Bob Dylan did it and they called it hard rain and this is what you`ve got here so you`re all part of history " says a man addressing the audience . Seeing as he puts a brave face on a bad climatic situation no doubt he`s now working as a spin doctor

So Bono and company come on a launch into Surrender . This is what I love about this video today , here we see tracks that don`t get played anymore like Seconds , A Day Without Me , I Threw A Brick and 11 O` Clock Tick Tock. And there`s two classic tracks , Sunday Bloody Sunday where Bono rightly proclaims " This song is not a rebel song " and my all time favourite U2 track I Will Follow . This song always used to get played at the under 18 disco when I was a teenager and it was the one song guaranteed to get everyone up on their feet dancing . If you`re young and have a pulse this track will make you feel alive .

My one criticism of the video is that it`s rather poorly directed by Gavin Taylor . The Red Rocks amphitheater has burning torches and everytime the camera cuts after there`s been a long shot of the stage there`s a very irritating flame after image on the next shot . In fact the cutting between scenes is very very haphazard and we often get a close up of Bono`s bottom ! Maybe some people think that`s a good reason to buy the video but I don`t . Likewise much of the camera work is very shakey , oh and seeing as the concert was filmed during a downpour more often than not the camera lens has raindrops and condensation covering it . But that`s not a big enough criticism for not watching UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY . If you`re a casual fan of the band you`ll love this concert . Hope to see this on DVD soon with the omitted tracks lke Out Of Control and Twilight included

On a trivia point the track Gloria differs slightly from the version included on the album of UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY . Compare the bit where Bono says " This is Red Rocks . The rocks " and the guitar blast when he says " This is the Edge " to see what I mean

U2 does an early concert at Red Rocks in Colorado. The concert was almost canceled due to rain and low temperatures. The concert went on because they were ready to do a bunch of filming and had sunk so much time and money into it. The result added fog to the mix of location and great music and it made magic.

This concert video might well had not been so good without all things including the fog, coming together. Not as polished as later efforts, but you can see a future headliner even at this point in time.

They need to get this video out onto DVD in region 1.

Worth a rental and a buy

U2 have been an incredible band, but at this moment in time in 1983 at Red Rocks, they performed a concert that went down in history. Even their incredible Joshua Tree tour never quite surpassed this performance. ....Oh to have been there!

Even at this early stage in their US breakthrough U2 were already displaying the elements which have made them one of America's favorite rock acts and Ireland's greatest musical export.

This concert recorded in 1983 during their US tour at Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside Denver in Colorado (Near the little town of Morrison which has a great Mexican Restautant called the Morrison Inn!!) showcases most of the early hits from Boy, October and War.

Flare and torches blaze at either side of the stage as Bono struts (and steams in the aftermath of a torrential downpour) his way through Gloria, I will follow, 11 O'Clock Tick tock, Party Girl, New Years Day, A blistering version of Sunday Bloody Sunday containing the now immortal introduction of "There's been a lot of talk about this song, maybe, maybe too much talk, This song is not a rebel song. This song is..." and The Electric Co before finishing off with the excellent crowd singalong 40 which fades to the wonderfully atmostheric crowd chant of "How long to sing this song".

Edge playes the blues and Larry bates the drums and Adam with a great big blond mullet haircut just acts cool. This is an excellent companion piece to the more mature and sophisticated Rattle and Hum DVD and it would be nice to see this also released on DVD sometime soon.

Love this piece of musical history. Where my love affair with this fantastic band started all those years ago. 'The rain's great.'